Pakistan hope for change in fortunes

Pakistan would hope for a change in fortunes when they clash with South Africa in the first of the two-match T20I series which gets underway from the 13th of November in Dubai. The hosts were given a 4-1 mauling in the recently concluded ODI series and would want to start afresh and give a better account of their talent and ability.

South Africa on the other hand would look to continue their domination and maintain the stranglehold which they have had over their opponents. They would want to leave the shores of the Emirates on a winning note.

The series has some significance as soon after Pakistan embark on a short limited over tour of South Africa and would hence want to regain some psychological points lost in the last few weeks.

Pakistan

Sohaib Maqsood was a revelation for Pakistan in the ODI series with two fifties from as many matches (his first two in ODI cricket). Ahmed Shehzad with 193 runs from 5 innings was the joint leading scorer (along with AB de Villiers) in the series. Mohammad Hafeez would lead Pakistan in the T20 matches and it would be a good change for the team especially after all the criticism surrounding Misbah's captaincy.

Pakistan are at their dangerous best in the shortest version of the game as their side boasts of some gifted power-hitters. They are the number two ranked side in T20Is only behind Sri Lanka. The inclusion of fresh faces who were spared the scars of the ODI hammering - the likes of Abdul Razzak and Shoaib Malik - will infuse some positive energy in the demoralized and factioned camp.

Razzak and Malik are experienced and proven all-rounders who have not only come up with match-winning cameos coming lower down the order but have also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs at important junctures. Nasir Jamshed would be desperate to make amends for his horrific couple of outings in the two ODIs he was selected to play, where he could just muster a solitary one run. Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal would also want to prove a point or two after a pathetic batting display in the ODIs.

The bowling will be Pakistan's stronghold as has been the case for the last few years. Saeed Ajmal, with 11 wickets from 5 matches was the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series against South Africa. Mohammad Irfan and Afridi also impressed with the ball. Pakistan have a lot of variety in both pace and spin and their slower bowlers could play a pivotal role in restricting the South African batsmen.

South Africa

South Africa will come into the T20I series with all the confidence and momentum. AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock were the stand out batsmen for the Proteas in the ODI series.. The batting looks strong with the likes of skipper Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy in the line-up. Currently at number 5, South Africa would want to climb up the T20I rankings.

de Kock and Amla form a formidable opening pair and South Africa would look to them for a rollicking start up the order.Miller has a strike rate of 130.87 from 13 T20I innings and is a very dangerous player in the lower middle-order for South Africa. Faf du Plessis with an average of 30.30 and a strike rate of 127.84 is another one to watch out for in the Proteas line-up.

Imran Tahir and Ryan McLaren were excellent with the ball in the ODI series. The former is also a very capable batsman who can hit a few lusty blows at the death. With the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe in their armoury, South Africa have a very potent and well tuned bowling attack. Dale Steyn has already set the cat amongst the pigeons with his recent form in the ODIs and with his recent vow to rediscover himself as a threat in T20I cricket before the World Cup in Bangladesh next year, the Pakistan batsmen need to be a worried lot.

Stats

1) Pakistan defeated South Africa 1-0 in a two-match T20I series in March, 2013 in South Africa.

2) Pakistan have not lost a T20I this year.

3) Pakistan have played 10 T20Is in Dubai and have come out victorious in six of them.